110 comments

I am a Conservative person (both socially & fiscally). For as flawed as they were, I believe the framers of the U.S. Constitution were divinely inspired (that’s “by God” to those of you in Rio Linda) as they set-out to form this nation of ours. I have a family. I am a Christian.

To me, and many like me, this race isn’t about having someone with the “Republican” label win. Lee Terry has proven time and time again that he absolutely will vote for bills that could legally pave the way for our federal government to someday place the boot of Fascism on the necks of my children, future grandchildren, and so-on down the line (NDAA, Patriot Act, initial support for SOPA), not to mention his support for legislative actions that spit in the face of Capitalism while continuing to bury us into even more debt ($700 Billion bank bailout, Medicare Part D, Debit Ceiling Increases).

The aforementioned actions and choices of Lee Terry makes him unelectable (in my mind) by anyone who truly identifies with both the Conservative Movement AND The Cause of Liberty. A few years ago, I started to think I was more Libertarian than Republican, but after much research and reflection, I realized this just isn’t true. I’ve now come to believe that the Republican Party is the best hope to defend our Constitution and all of the things that make America the best nation on the planet. Problem is, we have allowed the Republican Party to become overrun with both corruption and ineptitude. I don’t believe Lee Terry is corrupt, but I do believe he is weak and that he is utterly devoid of either the ability to convey a dual-message of Conservatism and Liberty or the personal beliefs and conviction necessary to propel the Republican Party and this nation forward. Either way, he needs to go.

If this means Brad Ashford wins, then so be it. There are enough people who call themselves “Conservative” in the 2nd Congressional District to take the seat back in 2016. I will be voting for Chip Maxwell. I know enough about Chip to know that he is far away better qualified to accurately deliver our message to Washington DC. Chip is no coward, nor is it likely that he can he be bought or intimidated by corrupt GOP Party Leadership (this is based upon my observations of him over the past several years).

To you folks who are standing by Lee Terry; then I ask you, if you’ve been paying attention over the past 16 years and if you truly identify with the Conservative Movement and The Cause of Liberty, then how could you possibly continue supporting this guy? By now, you know in your hearts that Lee is not the best person to be representing us. Let’s give Chip a shot – if he screws up or lies, I will be the first to call for his replacement.

My bet is that Maxwell probably did not do well so Ashford did not want to hurt his ability to get national money by releasing that part of the poll. Right now, the Dems are set to put hundreds of thousands of dollars into Omaha to help Ashford because Maxwell is pulling this stunt. This will help Democrats up and down the ballot in Douglas County. If the national dems realized that Maxwell is a nobody who has no chance, Ashford and the other Democrats will not get as much national money to defeat Republicans here because a Lee v. Ashford race is much more difficult for Ashford given he did so poorly in the 2013 Mayor’s race. Thanks Chip for trying to screw over the conservative cause and our Republican candidates here in Douglas County!

I received the poll. It asked two ways: one if Terry, Ashford and Laird were on the ballot, and also if Terry, Ashford, Laird, and Maxwell were on the ballot. They have chosen not to disclose the poll they did including Maxwell.

The Terrible-Assward-Maxipad 2D race contains more nuisance than nuance, so we’ll take “Lieutenant Governor” for $200 please Alex.

The OWH called Ricketts’ picking Lavon Heidemann as his running mate a “safe” choice; a riveting assessment from the fishwrap that bet on the guy who came in third behind Ricketts. Gov. Heineman endorsed the guy who came in second behind Ricketts. Yet even if Dave wanted to get snippy, he can’t. Choosing Dave’s own Lt. Gov. effectively gags Dave. And that’s not all it does.

While nobody ever votes for the #2 guy, people do vote against a #1 guy who picks an embarrassingly bad #2. How bad can Lavon be? The answer is, he is as nearly spotless as vetting can judge a person.

When Sheehy resigned in disgrace, Heineman was forced to find a squeaky clean replacement. He chose the well-respected Appropriations Chairman Sen. Lavon Heidemann—who had also been a NU Regent like Democrat nominee Hassebrook; except whereas Chuck’s only claim to fame is having been a Regent, that same Regent job was a minor throwaway gig between real jobs for Lavon. And, of course, after the Sheehy scandal, Dave vetted Lavon down to his boot heels, which is as much a big quiet plus for Ricketts today as Dave’s buddy Sheehy turned out to a brightly lit painful minus for Dave.

At a stroke, Ricketts checked the governor who endorsed against Pete in the Primary, dulled a key resume point of his Democratic opponent, filled experience gaps for a more solid Ricketts campaign, and kept a respected and experienced Lavon working for Nebraskans. All this automatically falls from, and could only have fallen from, one specific careful executive decision by Ricketts to pick this one guy. Ricketts could have chosen anyone. We need only look to examples like Sheehy and Obama’s cabinet to see that making wise and effective appointments isn’t all that easy for chief executives.

This isn’t about avoiding embarrassment. Wise appointments are needed for survival and success.

Chief executives set a course as much by whom they appoint as by the few key policy decisions they make. It is the sum of all decisions, most being made daily by key appointees, that determine success or failure. The complex structure one commands is only as strong as the weakest keystones one appoints.

Pete’s first choice of Lavon is already light years better than Dave’s first choice of Rick, and Heineman has been a good governor by most accounts. So maybe Ricketts will be a great one. It is early. Ricketts can yet stumble. But as first steps go, this pick works very well on several levels.

Please #2 at 3:34, you and your ilk keep using the word “Christian” like a magic talisman, without actually knowing what that word actually means. The love that dare not speak it’s name hangs from gibbet (sic) of the cross. Don’t diminish Christ by politicizing Him.

This Bergdahl deal is the worst trade since the Red Sox dealt Babe Ruth to the Yankees for cash. Hell, we didn’t even get future draft picks. Hey, Boston, you’re off the hook! Someone finally made a worse deal than yous guys.

Bergdahl is a screw-up. Not the first or only one in the Service, sorry to say. He’d gone AWOL twice before his last departure and subsequent capture. Why didn’t the Army leave him in Idaho or kick him out? Would have prevented many problems.

Why bring up religion at all in a political context? What’s the point? If it’s only descriptive, no different than saying “I like orange,” to call oneself “Christian” is useless information. If the label is not descriptive then what is it exactly? Clearly an appeal to some religious sentiment. I am probably an idiot, but not in this specific instance. Making Christianity a mere slogan trivializes it. What Christian worth the Name does that?

It think its a bit overly optimistic (as in a pipe dream) to think Maxwell peels off more Ashford votes than Terry votes. Do you really think all those disaffected Frei voters vote for Terry instead of Maxwell?

Here’s a theory for why Ashford didn’t publicize the numbers with Maxwell, that they clearly have:
Those numbers show Ashford blowing out both Terry and Maxwell, and they don’t want to scare off Maxwell by showing what he does to the race.

Anonymous @ 9:13pm yesterday:
By bringing up one’s “Christianity” in a political context, one potentially influences voting outcomes.
And in this instance, both the voting commenter (@ 3:34pm yesterday) and the chosen candidate, Maxwell, are Christians.

So many of you have lamented Maxwell’s specifically permissible entry into the Nebraska District 2 Congressional race as though it were somehow improper. As though voters registered “Republican” actually OWE their vote to Terry. Never mind that Terry has repeatedly DEFIED and DEFILED his Republican Party Platform; it’s all there in his voting record!

(Come to think of it, Republicans and Christians are not dissimilar: you’ve got to watch your back when around them. And no, this is not an endorsement of Democrats!!!)

You’re supposed to dress for the job you want. Hagel clearly wants a job other than the head of an organization where there are dress standards down to the position of the belt buckle…on your work clothes. Hagel looks like he’s auditioning for Tool Time. It would be a good match, though. He’s a tool and he dresses like Al.

The idea that anything would “scare Maxwell off” is hilarious. After his last two disastrous campaigns in which he only succeeded in electing two corrupt Democrats, Chip “Don Quixote” Maxwell has clearly demonstrated that he somehow relishes the role of incompetent spoiler candidate wholeheartedly. His ego has far out-stripped any negligible accomplishments in any otherwise unremarkable political and professional career.

RWP, I have no idea how long the “Curse of the Dambino” will last and I won’t be around to see if it reaches 80 years. But I do know we just gave up 5 future Taliban Hall of Famers who will be back in their rotation immediately in exchange for a guy who will never even sniff the big leagues.

To 9:01, I’m not going to engage a non-believer on a secular forum in a debate about the finer points of Christian theology. Suffice it to say I’m right and I’m not going to explain to you why unless you came to me privately and in good will, which cannot happen on a forum like this, so just don’t worry about it.

I’m sure you can come up with a gerry-mandered method of saying that Jesus was pro-heterosexual. And it could even be true that he was pro-hetero.
But there is ZERO way for you to show, via the Bible, that Jesus, Himself, dug chicks over dudes.
You can’t.
Done.

Kent Grisham is running Lee’s campaign? Nothing against him, but what campaign experience does he have other than helping Herbster and McCoy? Not exactly a stunning political resume. What happened to Ryan Horn?

I am and have been my whole life, a God loving and fearing conservative Christian.
I vote Republican down the line and contribute to GOP candidates.
And you can’t prove through any Bible verse that Jesus was heterosexual.
Just give it, if you think you can.
Assuming Sweeper will allow it, there is plenty of space here to give your argument.

And you apparently have reading comprehension issues, so I’ll say it again. No. This isn’t the time or the place. I wasn’t going to engage 9:01, you think I’m going to engage you just because you claim, on the internet no less, that you’re a conservative Christian? Sorry, no.

Note that the poll was taken before most people have actually heard Ashford open his mouth, at which point Terry will suddenly seem a lot better.

This is admittedly rank speculation, but the DNC may well prefer to have Terry limp through this race. They know they aren’t going to get control of the House in this cycle. In fact, it will go the other direction. Ashford is in his mid 60’s so even under the best of circumstances for the Democrats he’s likely to only serve for a few terms, Moreover, he’s tied to a lot of left wing positions, so it will be much harder for him to hold the seat than it would be for a more moderate Democrat.

So, the Democrats’ master plan may well be run a stronger Democrat against a weak Terry in 2016 and flip the seat for the long term.

If, as has been rumored (reported?) the DNC isn’t going to put any money into Ashford’s campaign that may well be the reason. If Festersen had stayed in, then I bet the DNC will be all in.

If I were a Dang Straight Nice House Lee Terry supporter, I’d take this poll with a grain of salt.
However, I refused to believe Sasse’s poll when he released one showing him with a lead, but it turns out that was accurate.
It sure feels like Dang Straight Nice House Terry is in trouble, but I am keeping my fingers crossed just the same.
And where can I sign the petition to get Chip “Maxwell” Smart on the ballot?

If you must know, it is commonly asserted that “the love that dare not speak its name” – Oscar Wilde’s words – is homosexuality.

My point is the real, actual, “love that dare not speak its name,” in the past and in modernity, is not homosexuality. Or heterosexuality. Or bisexuality or asexuality or any sexuality.

The love that dare not speak its name is, in fact, the actual practice of Christianity itself, with all that word – Christianity – implies. As Fulton Sheen said, the problem is not that Christianity has been tried and found wanting. The problem is that Christianity has not been tried – tried as in practice – at all.

Hence the danger, dear ‘Sweeper, of any political candidate, of any party or stripe, using their religious affiliation, either as a form of self-identification, or in an attempt to curry political favor. To paraphrase the Apostle Paul, since all are found wanting, and all fall short of the goal. The problem with Christians today is that all us like to appeal to some, supposed fixed standard we call Christianity. In fact, what we appeal to has three parts:

Goodie for you if you can establish some Venn-style overlap between these three “christianities,” but none of them necessarily have anything to do with the life Christ led, the Gospel He preached, or our poor attempts these last 2,000 years to follow in His footsteps.

Calling oneself a “christian” may be good marketing, but its bad theology and worse practice. The story and fate of Simon Magus in Acts 8:9-24 is fully applicable here.

Maybe Terry and Maxwell are in this thing together. Never understood all the wailing and gnashing of teeth over Maxwell entering the race. At worst, Brad Ashford is out of Omaha for two years. Run someone to his left and he won’t get reelected. Either way, you have a chance at bringing in a conservative in two years OR Lee Terry gets religion and finds his conservative vote casting equipment (a/k/a gonads) and starts casting conservative votes. Total win-win as I see it.

Do Chip Maxwell Smart’s supporters think DSNH Terry is not conservative enough? OMG what does he have to do? Terry has never lifted a finger to help the great President Obama accomplish anything and in fact keeps putting roadblocks in front of our Commander in Chief.
At least Mr Ashford will get something done.
ricky

Hey Ricky, did you see Obama chewing gum through the D Day ceremonies? The French can’t believe he doesn’t know better. I can believe he doesn’t know better, but shouldn’t we have a chief of protocol to remind His Majesty not to pick his nose in public, etc.?

Ridiculous, Gerard. Presidential gum chewing is no worse than artificially orange House Speakers. My God, you’d elect Obama to a 3rd term just so you can keep hating the man as president. Sorry, Hillary will have to do.

Appartently I drew attention to the fact that Obama conspicuously chewed gum through the D Day remembrance ceremonies, and the French were quite voluble about his lack of class and manners. The French have several words for chew (see eskimos: snow) and the ones they were using were the ones you use for animals and especially cows. They also called him ‘cowboy’, truly funny, since I’m confident if Obama mounted a horse, he’d inevitably find himself facing the wrong way.

Apparently if one draws attention to the President’s many deficiencies, it will be called ‘hate’ by some of the pre-human primates on this site.

In fact, the real issue is whether, as Politico suggested this week, Obama has essentially checked out. Normally, even if one knew no better, the chief of protocol would quietly tell you to dispose of the gum. But I don’t think he cares. He’s playing more golf than ever, he;s not even paying attention to politically catastrophic decisions like the Bergdahl deal, and Dem pols like Grimes in KY and Landrieu in LA re openly running against him.

Personally I don’t get why people chew gum all the time; it’s a silly habit and kind of weird. But I don’t really care what the French think about the Great President Obama.
I heard that in discussion about this D Day event that Russia lost like 9 million soldiers in WW2.
Holy cow that is a lot. Given that much loss Russia’s Mr Putin can chew gum, spit, and scratch his ass at the ceremony for all I care.
I for one am a great admirer of President Obama, the guy who got more votes for President, twice, than anybody in history. And a swift move it was trading those five camel herders in Gitmo for our soldier.
Our Commander in Chief could have accomplished a lot more while in office, and closed Gitmo, had people like Dang Straight Nice House Lee Terry and his ilk not stood in his way all the time.
Anyway I love Mama’s Pizza and will be there to greet Chip Maxwell Smart and sign the petition to get him on the Congressional Ballot this fall.
Will let everybody that reads L Street how that goes, as a service to the voters.

I still don’t get how the French are transformed from Socialist, surrender monkeys into the final arbiters of taste and protocol? Hell, for all intents and purposes Obama is a French politician. Maybe that’s why the French press are so put out about Barak chewing gum. Nothing to do with Lee Terry, though, so its an acceptable post and all good.

What’s the story with Doofus Dingbat of the SCRP, the one who lost his party chair post? Was he caught chewing gum?

RWP is correct that the French term used suggests an animal chewing its cud.

The French are of course referring to Barry O’Bama, the Irishman.

The Froggies have long been aware that when the Irish interbreed with other races of naturally good masticatory habits, even “one drop” of green blood makes the offspring entirely Irish, a notorious gum chewing race.

Eskimo’s have over 20 words for snow. English has 1. Malaysian has none at all; they call snow the same word they use for ice. The politically correct in America have two, (Eskimo and Inuit). Social liberals have a lexicon at least doubled for sake of political correctness, the aim of which is to allow no human feeling to go un-medicated.

Despite Ricky’s attempt to use a racist term to trivialize Obama’s actions, what O Stupid did was exponentially increase the danger our soldiers face starting the day he announced the deal. The Taliban is the enemy and Obama just gave them a huge morale boost. In case he isn’t reading his intelligence briefs anymore, we are still fighting the Taliban. Still. And we still will be after we “pull out” and leave 9000 soldiers behind. This is the equivalent of escorting Yamamoto’s plane safely back to Japanese air space 5 times. I used an example that the smartest man ever to hold the Presidency might have heard of between puffs of choom back in grade school.

Complaining about a teenage dope smoker isn’t going to keep the Clintons out of the White House. Is there something we’re for that voters can get behind? Or are we going to spend the next two years (as Letterman said “standing on the porch in a bathrobe, shaking a bony fist at passing cars?”

It appears Leavenworth Street “Blog” is closed down permanently. Thank you Street Sweeper. You shall be missed. Well done. — Below is my final blog entry. I will try to make it meaningful…

— It is a mistake to over-credit any president, especially Obama, with brilliance or evil genius. While every person is driven by self-interest, the rest of us don’t enter history books as a success or failure based on whether we kept our campaign promises. Obama looks like a dick if he doesn’t. That’s his main focus.

If Obama doesn’t seem smart or energetic, he doesn’t need to be. He offered federal largess to voters who voted for it, via him, twice. You don’t have to be smart to offer addicts what they crave.

Take Obamacare, for example. In 2008, he promised federalized healthcare and then took a long nap. A Democratic Congress created lumpy Obamacare, which once in place became impossible to remove because eliminating it throws dying kids onto the street. So now GOP candidates, naively elected to “end” Obamacare, are instead heading to DC to “fix” it. All this leaves Obama’s name welded to this thing that Democrats created and Republicans will refine; a thing voters deserve, good or bad, because most of them voted for him and his promised aims. For Obama it’s a campaign promise being kept.

He also promised to close Gitmo. He initially kept it open. But now that he has released its five worst offenders there is no reason to keep the lesser inmates. So Gitmo closes and Obama has kept that promise too. Any fallout from his Taliban-for-traitor trade, even in blood, will be handled later.

Presidential success is measured by keeping campaign promises. Obama didn’t hide his aims from voters. He isn’t that smart. And they aren’t that noble. Americans are addicted and Obama is the pusher. Some of us are in in denial, telling ourselves we value risky individual freedom while itching to get our next fix of federal cheddar. But most are addicted and it doesn’t take a genius to sell the dope.

Voters are drawn to personality not perspicacity and the result is dumb leaders. Obama sealed his grades because they were bad. Biden had to plagiarize to pass. Kerry’s GPA was 2.1. And Professor Hagel has a BA, an education level less than many DoD clerks and well below most Pentagon officers.

Unfortunately, the Conservative cure-all is to tell voters they should “just say no” to the federal free stuff. Clearly, that fat genie won’t be stuffed back in the bottle. — Good luck to all. Lil Mac

As far as the “federal cheddar” is concerned, the big talk around Valentine the last few weeks is the new USDA Farm Bill, Drought Disaster Program. All a rancher has to do is sign up and gets around $300 for every cow they have, to compensate for the lost grazing due to the 2012 and 2013 droughts.

It all reminds me of the old anecdote about the millionaire, who asks the beautiful, young co-ed if she would sleep with him for one million dollars. She says yes. He then asks if she would sleep with him for one hundred dollars. She indignantly says “No, what kind of girl do you think I am?” He says “We’ve already established that. Now we’re just dickering over the price.”

If a person is actually a “Conservative”, then they should have enough back bone to resist that artificial, cheddar flavored temptation. I am NOT signing up for this welfare!

In the 18 months since I began writing columns focused on the presidency, virtually every post critical of Obama has originated from conversations with Democrats. Members of Congress, consultants, pollsters, lobbyists, and executives at think tanks, these Democrats are my Obama-whispers. They respect and admire Obama but believe that his presidency has been damaged by his shortcomings as a leader; his inattention to details of governing; his disengagement from the political process and from the public; his unwillingness to learn on the job; and his failure to surround himself with top-shelf advisers who are willing to challenge their boss as well as their own preconceived notions.

Poor Lee Terry. Now Paul Ryan is really ready to roll on amnesty. At a time when Obama is not only abdicating his job as chief law enforcer of the US, he is actively trying to turn it into North Mexico all in direct violation of our immigration laws. The fact that GOP leaders are talking deal and not impeachment over this is Exhibit A as to why I am 99.9% sure I will not be voting for Lee Terry in November. Lee Terry better get off his ass and start representing the 2nd District or start looking for a new job. Maybe he could start Sprite Night 2.

Street Sweeper, thank you for assuming I was being acidly witty. For some odd reason my favorites feed to L St Blog stopped dead in its tracks and I was being rerouted back to an old close out page from years ago. It appeared from my end that some calamity had befallen thee. I am delighted that rumors of your demise have been greatly exaggerated, by moi. Long may the street be swept.

Now, on to the important stuff. — If we breed miniature cows with a very rapid reproductive rate, can we still get $300 for each cow?

There is a move in Nebraska to put “The Beef State” on license plates. Our official non de plume is of course “The Cornhusker State”. However, Nebraska is number 2 in beef production and number 4 in corn, or the other way around. In any case, this is not the USA’s beef or corn state. However, Nebraska is the USA’s number one Unicameral State.

We propose a new motto: “Nebraska, the Unicameral State; Where our one-legged government hops better than your two legged government can run.”

Instead of soaking tax-payers for the indolence and financial irresponsibility of idiot college grads with degrees in Transgender Hispanic Studies, or whatever other useless and silly discipline they choose, make a loan requirement a commitment to enter a field that actually has the possibility of leading to a career that can pay off the student loans.

If taxpayers are paying for it, the degrees should have use to taxpayers. Fair enough.

You want a government backed student loan, then study physical science, engineering, business, biology, or a medical field. No student loans for contrived, feel-good disciplines that offer no career opportunities and no hope of being able to earn a living wage.

Not sure the preceding is going to keep the Clintons out of the White House, but how about a year of Federal service for each year in college, graduated or not? The ‘not graduated’ part gets drop-outs too.

Your understanding of the correct usage of y’all is what I have understood to be true, Gerard.
We say all y’all to make the plural here in central Texas.

But I did see a ‘How the States Got Their Shapes’ program on the history channel once suggesting that it was immigrants, perhaps from Ireland if I remember correctly, who brought the y’all contraction with them—???

Cantor is gone. Are you paying attention now, Boehner? Did you see that, Lee Terry? That’s where amnesty is going to get you: unemployed. It’s not just African-Americans that are going to feel the pain of amnesty.

Silence implies consent. I have yet to hear of Terry speaking out against amnesty or dressing down Boehner or any other GOP leader for even thinking of caving on amnesty. I am holding Terry responsible for the irresponsible actions of the GOP leadership. It’s time for him to step up or he’s gone. He’s been in Congress long enough. Be a leader, Congressman.

That being said, Ashford is smart to focus on the main opponent, ignoring Maxwell. Sorry, Chip, but you will be the spoiler in this race.

IMHO, Maxwell’s entry into the NE CD-02 race will lead to a loss of the seat for the GOP, permanently. Terry has survived several close races. This isn’t un-winnable, but it’s going to take everything the GOP and Terry have to save the seat. I don’t predict a strong Democrat turnout this fall. They don’t have much motivation. Their Senate and Governor candidates are weak, as best. Ashford blows with the prevailing wind and will do what’s best for Brad.

Should Ashford win, the seat will be a lost cause. The district is constricting with each census and Congressional redistricting. It’s now barely Republican controlled. The next census is in 2020 and it will shrink again. In another 10 years, 2030, it will either disappear or be totally Democrat.

The time for challenging within the party was the primary election. It’s over. Put the sharp objects away for two years. Put on the big boy pants and wait until 2016.

Saw something today that made me chuckle, fondly remembering all the libtards on this site who used to post about Fox News being faux news and biased, etc. ad nauseum.

Turns out someone did a survey, that someone being the Brookings Inst, and they determined the most trusted television news source in this country is Fox News. Even among Democrats. At the opposite end of the spectrum, that bastion of unfair and off-balance coverage, MSNBC, came in dead last. Comically, MSNBC was ranked for trustworthiness even below John Stewart among all but Democrats.

Wow, maybe turn your brain on, #89. This poll is based on people’s opinions, not hard facts. Of course the right wing universe is going to pick Faux News, no matter what. Now I’m a moderate/liberal type, and I’d pick CNN over MSNBC if I had to pick just one, but that doesn’t mean I don’t “trust” MSNBC.

Exactly, #90. It was based on people’s perceptions. And people of all political stripes view Fox as most trustworthy and MSNBC as least trustworthy. And turn your own brain on because it was the consensus of ALL people, not just conservatives, that Fox is the best

#87, this was the poll question that 72% of people in Cantor’s district agreed with:
“There is bipartisan immigration reform legislation being debated in Washington. The bill would secure our borders, block employers from hiring undocumented immigrants, and make sure that undocumented immigrants already in the U.S. with no criminal record register for legal status. If a long list of requirements is met over more than a decade, it provides eligibility for a path to citizenship.”

In other words, the poll is based on a lie. There is no such bill before or passed by either house of Congress.

Of course Brooking’s polled people’s opinions on news. There is no measurement of newsieness or truthiness or scoopability of a news organization. Every news group competes to scoop each other and yet also be accurate so as not to be forced to retract statements later and look unprofessional and thus lose customers. All one can do is look at ratings or ask viewers which source they prefer. When Democrats were asked, they said they preferred Fox. That doesn’t mean they agreed with any analysis or supposition, but rather found Fox more reliable with regard to breaking factual news content. After all, you can value a mechanic’s quality of work without wanting to drive the car he prefers to drive.

BTW, Brooking’s Institute is often identified as Liberal Centrist. A UCLA study analyzed its reports over several decades and measured Brookings at a 53 on a 1-100 scale right/left.

All news suffers today from reporting in a too familiar tone. Since the 1960s, journalists are taught to inject themselves into the story; to editorialize, spice it up to make it entertaining. Today news is delivered with emotional overtones by reporters who often have zero experience in whatever they are reporting. Even so, if one’s news channel is the last to report something or they report it wrong or unclearly, people will switch to a different news source.

Chuck Hagel is a Political Whore. As a guy that has shrapnel in his chest, he clearly has sold out the average soldier for fame an fortune. As Team Obama trashes the deserter’s fellow squad members, Chuck pushes Obama’s lies and allows this farce to continue.

Man, Hillary Clinton is so stupid. She tried to sound smart likening Obama to Abe Lincoln by wrongly stating Lincoln had been a Senator from Illinois too. Just like that stupid Sarah Palin who said the Boston Tea Party was in 1773. Oh, wait …

In other news, Chris Matthews chastised Mia Farrow’s illegitimate son Ronan for looking down his nose at TEA Partiers and implying they aren’t smart. Matthews jumped to the TEA Party’s defense saying they’re good people whose concerns about this country are every bit as legitimate as liberals’.

Which brings me to Chip Maxwell. The arguments for retaining Lee Terry in office (seniority for committees, etc.) would have applied in spades in Virginia where the House Majority Leader just went down in the primary. Say what you want about Maxwell diluting the conservative vote, but people like Macdaddy are clearly unhappy and Terry should be worried.

#94, well said. Chuck Hagel is a buck sergeant playing at being a general and a Bachelor of Arts playing at being a professor. Hagel the poser, Kerry the dolt, Biden the plagiarist, and Obama the choom-addled dunce, were Senate circle jerk buddies with no significant managerial experience among the lot.

But to call them political whores is unfair to whores.

Everyone who runs for office is a political whore. No two voters have identical interests, yet to get elected you lie to them all, and the best liar wins. As an appointee, you bend over for the liar in charge as he crams his hand, in this case Obama’s ham fist, up Chuck’s butt and works Hagel like a hand puppet. It is rather silly to try to see any nobility in either Obama’s hand or Chuck’s butt.

That’s how elective politics works. And that’s fine. Lying is a good thing. You will discover that when your spouse asked “Do I look fat?” Since before Mankind lived in caves, our leaders have been wheedling and convincing and trying to inspire every member of the tribe by saying, “No, you look good in that fur… and I promise we will get you that new hammer-stone you wanted.”

We who have borne the brunt of battle for many more years than Hagel suffered it, we would much prefer an honest whore to these cankered thieves. Obama, Hagel and the rest of this bunch will have Americans die by the score if it makes them one bit more personally comfortable.

To 95. I think I have been very clear on my stance on Chip Maxwell. If I have not, let me be clear. It is a very dumb move for Chip to run and it helps Ashford and hurts down ballot. Is that clear enough?

Can’t Lee Terry just shut up?? My god he looked like a moron on CNN. His take away from the Cantor defeat is MAYBE he won’t negotiate now? Maybe? Because maybe he has to weigh if it will help him politically or not? Dear God. His answer should ALWAYS be that he will do what is best for his constituents, his state, and his country. Period. Not what will help him keep his nice house and kid in college. I’m voting for Chip Maxwell.

So, Fort Street Fury thinks Cantor went down because his opponent was an economics professor? I think the same sentiment that swept Cantor out of office should make Terry a bit nervous, particularly in light of the fact that Ben Sasse’s win shows the same sentiments are percolating here.

Int, I think sweeps has done a good job of explaining how Maxwell in the race threatens Terry. I’d link one of his old posts for you to read but sweeps doesn’t approve of links. Suffice it to say that if Terry was secure with his Republican base, he would easily out-poll a dem challenger and a fringe 3rd party guy combined. The fact that Maxwell might actually represent a threat says a lot about Terry.

@107, Maxwell won’t be a Republican on the ballot, if he makes it. Instead, he’d be a fringe 3rd party guy. That, plus a Democrat, should be no problem for a secure incumbent in that district. Which Terry is not, but few on here seem to be interested in asking themselves why.

Maxwell actively says a lot of things. He says that he’s a Republican. He says he’s attractive to Democatic Voters. He says he’s an independent. He actively says in October 2013 that it’s a horrible idea to run as an independent with the petition process, “It’s hand the office over to the Democrats”. Now he actively says running as an independent is his ‘constitutional right’ and that it’s a great idea.